I Need You
by avatarfan16
Summary: Toph beleives Aang does not need her anymore.  TophxAang


1 Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: the last airbender

_Need_

_By, avatarfan16_

The sun was rising. And the golden ball of light peered over the mountain tops, dissolving the darkness in the sky. It's orange light, like water, flowing down the stream, and bathing the trees in it's warmth. The trickling streams and the blowing trees, harmonized with the morning birds gentle songs. With such invigorating tranquility, it seemed as though nature were calling out to it's children.

_Wake up, wake up, oh please wake up. Wake up and live._

Yet nature could not hide the sadness in her voice. How odd that such a new and beautiful day, already had such sadness in it. Perhaps that's why she made this day so beautiful; to provide some comfort to her wounded son. Who was now, resting uneasy in an earthen shelter, and under the watchful unseeing eyes of his earthbending master.

Sitting on her knees, Toph's fingers fumbled along the floor of the tent, looking for the water basin. Once her calloused fingers found what they were looking for, her other hand reached up to grab the cloth on his forehead.

"..._Need_."

Toph froze. Her hand still resting on the cloth over his brow. Silently, she waited to see if the airbender would say more. But after a few moments, with nothing but the sound of his deep and steady breathing, Toph finally removed the rag from his head. Soaking it in the basin, Toph wrung it out thoroughly before placing the damp cloth once again on his forehead.

She scooted away from his person, raising her arms over her head to stretch her sore back and yawn. Briefly she wondered what time it was. Remembering the cold night air, when her shift began, Toph knew it had been awhile since she had taken over Sokka's shift. The bags under her eyes only encouraged this theory. Still Toph's feet were rooted to the floor, as she 'watched' his agitated sleep.

"_Need ..."_

Toph's closed her eyes. 'That word again' she thought. Even though he had yet to regain consciousness yet, the injured airbender had been calling out for help periodically ever since they had escaped Ba Sing Se. Toph almost shuddered at the memory, but she suppressed it. It had been three days since they escaped the city, but the memory was just as vivid and intense as the event itself.

_Almost immediately she knew something was wrong. After the escaped from the Dai Li holding cell, She, Sokka, and the Earth king had gone to find Aang and Katara so they could join in the battle, that must be taking place at that very moment. As they neared the hole that led into the old city, something stopped her. She remembered feeling a numbness in her toes, an odd tingling in the soles of her feet. Something had happened to them down there. Something bad._

_But before she could do anything, something showed up on her radar, someone was staggering out of the hole. Toph didn't know why she didn't recognize them sooner. Perhaps the numbness was messing with the vibrations, but either way, the young earthbender took her stance and prepared for battle. _

"_HELP!"_

_Toph gasped. That was Katara's voice. Sokka was way ahead of her, as the warrior ran to the mouth of the hole to aid his sister and her burden. "Oh no" she heard Sokka mutter, as Katara started to sob. Toph was just about to ask what was wrong, when he shouted. "WE NEED TO LEAVE!"_

_Leave? Why? What about the fight? All these questions were running through her head, that she didn't even notice, they were caring someone with them. "BUT WHAT ABOUT AANG?!" she shouted. Instead of an answer, all she heard was._

"_QUICK GET HIM ON APPA!"_

"_CAREFUL! WATCH HIS HEAD!"_

"_OH PLEASE BE OKAY!"_

_Suddenly it dawned on her, someone had been injured. "TOPH SEAL THE HOLE! SEAL IT NOW!" cried Katara. Without thinking, Toph faced the hole and planted her feet firmly on the ground. Even with her vibrations out of wack, she could still feel what sounded like an army approaching them from deep within the hole. Stretching her arms out in front of her, she flexed her fingers and started doing a circling motion. Then quickly pulled her arms apart and collapsed the hole. Running back toward Appa, she ran up his wide tail and hurled herself onto his back. Forgetting that the saddle was missing, she nearly slid off, when an arm reached out and grabbed hers. _

"_Careful Miss Bei Fong." It was the Earth king. _

"_Yip Yip." Toph barely had time to grab a fistful off Appa's fur, before the giant beast, took off into the sky. Toph was confused, why had they fled? What had happened? Where was Aang?_

_It occurred to her, that everyone had moved to Appa's head, and were silently watching something. Remembering that someone was hurt, her breathing became shallow, as she crawled toward Appa's head with the rest of the group. 'Not the tea man' she prayed. She had to know who had been injured._

_Some of the numbness in the earthbender's toes, traveled to her fingertips as she reached forward into darkness. Her clammy palm came in contact with something round, smooth, and cold. It was Aang. But why wasn't he moving? Why was he so cold? And why was his heartbeat–_

_Toph inhaled sharply and snatched her hand back. She didn't want to believe it. She didn't want it to be real. It couldn't be real. She had taught him better, he wouldn't have let this happen, he was a rock, he had the stuff. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not to him, anyone but him._

_Katara was moving. The earthbender could hear her fumbling with something in her hand, as the other propped Aang up. There was the familiar swish of water as it was being bent. A flicker of hope arose in her chest as she remembered Katara's healing abilities. Unable to see the process, Toph just closed hers eyes and prayed. 'Save him, save him, save him.' Katara began to sob. 'SAVE HIM! SAVE HIM! SAVE HIM! PLEASE SAVE HIM!' _

"_...ugh."_

_Her unseeing eye's snapped open. Had she imagined it. Toph strained her already sensitive hearing, and listened for any sign that all was not lost, that he was not gone. _

"_Ugh...umff."_

_Her heart skipped a beat, and color returned to her face as she out the most relieving sigh she had ever done in her life. Katara was crying harder than ever now, but it too was from relief. Toph could feel tears start to form in her eyes as well, but she pushed them down. She would not cry, not at a time like this. Crying was something you did when you were sad or angry. Right now all she could feel was relief from the weight of her anxiety in knowing that Aang was alive and still with her._

"_The Earth Kingdom...has fallen." _

_That didn't matter right now. She didn't care if the Earth Kingdom fell so long as Aang did not._

His breathing was easier, she noticed. It was steady, aside from the occasional cough or twinge of pain that appeared in his vibrations. His heartbeat was stronger, far stronger than it had been three days ago. Now the two seemed to be in almost perfect rhythm with each other.

It was strange, she hadn't realized how special and how unique his heartbeat was until she had almost lost it. That one moment, when she touched his face, and felt that he was dying. The vibrations telling her she was losing him, it almost felt like she was losing a part of herself. A big and important part.

'It's strange' she thought. That you sometimes don't realize how important something is until you lose it, or almost lose it in her case. Aang was important to her, Toph admitted, but she never really understood just how important he was until she felt him nearly slip away. Still even with him lying there unconscious and injured, it just didn't seem real, almost like a bad dream. It just never occurred to her that Aang could be hurt.

Toph slowly crawled toward his sleeping form. She placed her hand on his cheek, to feel his vibrations. Something was different about them. Normally they were so light and jovial, but now they seemed to be _shattered. _The now came all frazzled; almost like lightning. Her hand traveled downward, feeling the contour of his shoulder, then to his arms. Feeling for any familiar unspoiled vibrations.

But there were none to be had. "Oh Twinkle-Toes, look at what they did to you" she muttered, caressing a large cut on his arm. She frowned and continued looking for other injuries. Sliding her hand under his back, she nearly yelped when he winced. Toph quickly retracted her hand, and could feel dried blood on her fingers. "What happened to you?" she asked, as though he would unconsciously answer her question in detail.

"_Need...I need."_

"What is it?" she ventured to ask. "What do you need?" But Aang didn't answer, nor did he say anymore.

The blind earthbender continued to scan his body, both with her vibrations and with her hands. Blushing slightly as she ran across a toned arm. Toph quickly shook it off, telling herself she was doing simply to assess the damage done to him.

This was probably the closest Toph had ever been to him, aside from when they sparred. She did the once around, then brought her hands back up to his face to feel for deeper injuries, the ones only see could see. "I'll say this; you airbender's aren't real lookers'. No wonder you guys went extinct" she joked. She almost half expected him to say something, to defend his facial features. But he didn't. Aang just laid there, still as a rock.

"Bet you've never even kissed a girl either" she taunted. Aang still remained quiet as ever, the sound he made was from his steady and stable breathing. During her teasing, Toph had failed to notice she had been tracing his lips with her finger the whole time.

Toph sensed footsteps approaching and knew them to be Katara's. The waterbender probably came to start her shift with Aang. Toph frantically backed away from him, and pressed her back against the wall of the rock tent. Katara crouched as she entered, and crawled toward the opposite wall from Toph. Toph had created this tent with an opening.

"How's he doing?" Katara asked, removing the cloth from Aang's head and feeling his forehead.

"I was about to ask you the same thing." Toph replied, crossing her arms.

"_Need..."_

Both girls, turned their attention toward the sleeping airbender between them. After groaning once, he settled back down. Both of them held their breathes ans waited to see if he would say more. Only after several moments of silence did they speak again.

"Is he still saying that?" asked Katara.

"Yeah."

"You should get some rest, I'll start my shift now."

Toph didn't mover but asked, "Katara...what happened to him?"

"He...He got hurt Toph."

Toph grunted, Katara was being vague. It irritated her that she was not getting a straight answer. 'I guess I can't really blame her though' she thought. Katara probably didn't want to live through the experience again, at least not right away, and Toph would not force her. "Will he be okay?" she asked.

"He'll be fine, he should come to any–

Katara stopped mid sentence, and Aang started to groan and turn beneath the covers. His eyelids were twitching, trying to open. Katara's eyes began to water, as she kneeled next to him. "Toph! He's waking up! He's waking–

Once again, Katara stopped mid sentence. When she had looked up, Toph was no longer sitting against the wall like she had been only a moment ago. But all thoughts of the earthbender disappeared, as Aang groaned louder and was shifting beneath his blankets.

_Aang shook his head as he stood in the light, trying to clear the voices there. Over head an entire cosmos swirled above him, streaked with purple and dotted with stars "Wake up Aang, please Aang wake up, wake up. Open your eyes" it said._

"_But I don't want to wake up, I'm tired" he argued ._

"_You need to wake up, it's time to open you r eyes."_

_Aang squinted in the light, as he tried to determine where the voice was coming from. "But I want to stay here, please let me stay" he pleaded. He wanted to stay. Here, he was surrounded my love and warmth. _

"_It's time to go back, please open your eyes."_

"_But it's scary out there, it's dark and I'm scared. I can't go back" he told the voice._

"_But you need to go, they need you."_

"_I don't think I can."_

"_Please Aang wake up, you're friends are waiting."_

"_Friends..."_

"_Yes, so–_

"Aang please wake up!" Aang gave one final moan, as he lazily opened his eyelids. The first thing he saw was darkness.

'What happened to the sun' he wondered. Had he really opened his eyes? AS his eyes slid into focus, he realized that he wasn't outside at all, and was really staring up at the ceiling of Toph's rock tent. "Toph?" he called.

"No; it's me, it's Katara" he heard her voice say.

"K-Katara?" he weakly asked. "W-Why can't I see you?"

"That's because your looking at the ceiling" she answered him, before maneuvering her face into his line of sight.

"How are you doing?" he asked, noticing her loose and singed hair, not to mention the heavy bags under the waterbender's eyes.

She took a handful of her hair and stroked it absent mindedly. "I'm doing fine, nothing that a nap and a comb won't fix" she joked. "More importantly, are you okay? How do you feel?" she asked him concern deeply etched in her words.

"Horrible" he said plainly. Now fully awake, the pain returned with his consciousness, and every part of him ached. "Where is everyone?" he asked her, wanting to know if all his friends were alright.

"There fine" said Katara. "The Earth King is safe, Sokka went hunting, and Toph just finished her shift."

"I see, that's a relief." he sighed.

But that wasn't all that was bothering the monk. There was a nagging question in the back of his mind, it had been there ever since he had woken up. Truth be told, he was afraid of the answer. But; he _had _to know. "Katara..." he began.

"Yes Aang what is it? Do you need something?"

"I can't remember well...Katara... what happened down there?" he asked blankly.

The waterbender's eyebrows furrowed, and her mouth was slightly parted as she tried to form words. Finally, after clearing her throat Katara spoke, "Let's not talk about that, just forget about it. You need to rest–

"Katara!" Aang's voice cut through hers in a tone that was surprisingly strong for just having awoken from a coma. He didn't need her coddling right now. And he didn't need her attempts at changing the subject. "Katara...I _need _to know." He paused. "Please."

Katara began explaining the events at Ba Sing Se, starting with he discovery of Prince Zuko and her capture by Azula. "He was a waiter at a tea shop. Can you believe that, he even had an apron and everything" she said. Aang snorted a little.

She continued telling him, her side of what happened, while his memory slowly filled in the blanks. Every now and then her lower lip quivered, right before she would explain a particularly intense event that transpired. But after a while, he was only half listening. The other wandering half of his mind, was thinking not of Avatars, chakras, or wars.

But of the time he went surfing on the backs of the elephant-koi of Kiyoshi island. The time Sokka accidently stepped on Toph's foot, and afterward shoved him between two rocks. And playing catch inside their house at Ba Sing Se, not caring when they broke something. Aang had no idea why he was thinking about these things, and had no idea why it was making him cry.

"...And you've been asleep ever since" she finished. Tears had sprung to her eyes long before she had finished, but as she wiped her eyes she was surprised that tears were pouring from Aang's face as well. "Aang? What wrong? Are you in pain?" she asked worried for him.

"Katara?"

"Yes, I'm here, what is it?"

"Remember the time Sokka stepped on Toph's foot. And she got so mad at him, that she shoved his body between two rocks and didn't let him go for an hour?"

"Yes..I don't get it, what do you mean?"

"It was funny, that's all."

Katara gave a questioning look, but shrugged it off. The waterbender turned her back for a moment to reach for her pack. Fumbling inside it until she found her water pouch. Turning around, she nearly dropped by the sight of Aang as he struggled painfully to sit up. "Aang, what are you doing!?" she cried. Aang did not listen, but continued to try to pull himself up. He felt Katara place her hands on his shoulders and push him downward. "Aang you need to lay down, it's too soon for you to be sitting up!"

Aang tried to resist, but was too weak and in the end Katara succeeded in pushing him back down. "You need to rest" she repeated pulling the blanket up to him waist. "You have extensive internal and external injuries, and can't be moved for a while." Aang watched as she took something from around her neck and open a flap in the top of it. She then uncorked her pouch and carefully poured something from the necklace into it, not much only a drop or two.

She shook thee pouch thoroughly, before pouring it into a cup. "Drink this" she ordered, holding the cup out to him. Aang looked at the cup doubtfully, then back up at Katara. "You need to follow a strict healing regime for awhile before you can do things normally. I need you to drink this so I can heal any internal injuries you may have." she finished.

"When can I bend again?" he asked.

"Not for a while" she answered. "Even after you heal, I don't want yo doing anything strenuous right away it cou–

"Katara! How long?"

"A month" she said flatly.

"A month!" he nearly shouted.

"Yes, a month. You suffered a lot of nerve damage, and not only that but you're chi flow has been disrupted and it will take awhile for it to repair itself, with out it, you can't bend."

Aang seemed to accept this answer, and let out a long breath as he closed his eyes. "Drink this" Katara said again, propping up his head and placing the cup at his lips. Taking small gulps, Aang slowly drained the cup of water.

"What's this gonna do?" he questioned.

Katara didn't answer, but rubbed her hands together before placing them just above his heart. "This is a new internal healing method" she explained. He hands began to glow a soft blue, and instantly Aang felt a coolness there. Like he had drank something extremely cold, but remembering the water to be only room temperature. Katara moved her hands to the left, and felt the intense coolness travel with it. "You see once the water is inside you, I can use it to heal any internal injuries much easier, than if I were to try from the outside" she spoke as she worked.

Aang noticed that she wasn't just moving the water inside him randomly, but in an incredible complex and intricate pattern. Instead of just going up and down his arm, she would move in several twists an turns almost like a maze. And would always return the water to his stomach before moving onto a different part that needed healing. Katara repeated this process many times, each time his injuries would feel a little better than before. After a while, it started feeling moderately warm and not as cold. When that happened, Katara brought the internal water to his stomach again. He watched as the blue faded from her fingers, and he could no longer feel the water inside him.

"Now sit still, and rest for a minute" said Katara.

Feeling no reason to argue, Aang closed his eyes, and let his thoughts drift. "What's been going on since I've been out?" he asked curiously.

Katara took a seat by the wall. "Not much, we've been looking after you in shifts. The past three days seem like a blur" she sighed. "You really had a close call" she added. There had been a brief moment when she feared he would not make it.

"Yeah" was all Aang could say. Taking a deep breath, Aang propped himself up on his elbows, before puling himself into a sitting position. It didn't hurt as much this time around

"Aang! What do you think you're doing!?"

"I'm fine. I just want to get up" he said calmly. "Where are my clothes?" he added, peeking under the blanket to find him in only his underwear.

"Listen" Katara moaned exasperated. "You don't need your clothes, you need rest, so–

"You don't know what I need!" Aang shot back angrily, causing him to wince slightly. Katara gasped, never had Aang snapped at her like that. Aang sighed, "Sorry" he muttered. "Can you hand me my clothes, please?" he asked as politely as he could. Katara silently handed him two dirty and ripped rags. Aang looked at her questioningly, before taking them. "What are the rags for?" he asked. Katara pulled on her collar uneasily, and cleared her throat.

Unfurling on of the rags, he realized they weren't rags at all. But the tattered remains of his yellow pants. The other rag, turned out to be what was left of his shirt. Though they were as good as rags now. They were ripped, dirty, tattered, and singed. "Oh." 'It'll have to do' he concluded, as he tossed the blanket aside to pull on his pants.

"Do you need any help?" asked Katara tentatively.

"I got it" he responded cooly as he finally succeeded in getting one of his one of his legs through the pant leg. It took awhile for Aang to completely dress. Making sure the be careful of his injuries while doing so. Also there were a few times when he got mixed up, his clothes had so many holes, it was hard to tell what went where.

Now came the hard part; standing up. Once he was fully clothed, or at least covered by the rags that used to be his clothes, he flipped over on his hands and knees. Aang took it slow, first raising one knee, then resting for a moment, slowly resting some weight there. Then all at once lifted the other knee, and straightened up. Not all the way, but enough so he was only slightly hunched. Katara watched wide eyed, as Aang's knees shook and buckled slightly. But he was standing. 'He's changed' was all she Katara could think at the moment. She watched as Aang staggered to the mouth of the tent, when she suddenly remembered something.

"Wait!" she called out, before he could leave. Aang paused for a moment. "I still don't like this" she said disapprovingly. "But if you must; you shook use this. Sokka made it for you" she motioned to something. Aang turned slightly, so he could see what Sokka had made.

When he did, a huge smile came across his face. The airbender chuckled, "Sokka can make anything."

The blind earthbender was currently sitting on a rock, by the stream. Listening to nature, as she picked up a pebble. She began rubbing stone between her thumb and fore finger. Within seconds, the rough and jagged edges become smooth and round. The stone become completely smooth under her touch. As Toph recalled, this was the first earthbending technique she ever used. Turning a rough rock into a smooth one. Briefly, she remembered doing this on her family estate for hours, when she was younger, before her tournament days. Before she realized she was an earthbender. Her parents had not pleased when they found out.

Toph crushed the now smooth pebble, turning it to dust as it fell through her fingers. Picking up another random pebble, she repeated the process. It was on her fourth pebble, that the blind girl noticed a change in her surroundings. She had been so worried about Aang that she had failed to notice it until now. But it was obvious to her senses now and it was everywhere. The earth was a little warmer, the air a little lighter, and the sun a little brighter. Not that she could see it. Spring was turning into summer.

Spring was dying, as Summer was being born. Which meant the time for earthbending was over. It was time for Aang to learn firebending. Just as most earthbender's were born the Spring time, and were at there strongest during that season. Most firebenders are born, and strongest during summer when the sun was brighter.

It was Aang's destiny, his purpose in life to learn bending during these times. Just as his past lives have done. It was then Toph began thinking of her destiny; of her purpose. Her purpose in the group specifically. It was her job to teach Aang earthbending. Now that, that had been done, what now? Toph couldn't rely on her other duty: fetching water, forever. It was..._unsettling _for Toph. Because it now meant, that she was no longer needed.

Now that Aang had learned earthbending , and now needed to learn firebending, what use was she now. Unless of course she somehow by magic acquired the ability to firebend, which she knew was impossible. And with that knowledge came the inevitable truth–

Aang no longer needed her.

Need.

It was probably the most important word for Toph. To be needed. Toph herself didn't need much, if anything. But to be needed by others, was the only thing she desired. Needed to be needed, to put it simply.

But now Toph, like spring was over and no longer served a purpose. Not like it had been before. Like at the Earth Rumble six. Then, Toph had been needed, she could be of use as Aang's teacher. She guessed that was why she left home in the first place.

Despite his total like of talent for eathbending in the beginning, Toph loved teaching Aang. It was a special feeling, that began when she first joined. First, watching him master the basics; though much slower than Toph had. Then watching his skill increase steadily, as she pushed him to achieve, and draw strength he did not know of. Showing another, how to see the world as she did. Truth be told, her lessons were not purely for his own benefit. His increasing ability was almost like a testament to her own skill with earthbending. It was something she was proud of.

Still, as time passed, his lessons were something were something to look forward to. If not for seeing him master a difficult move. Then at least to have a, 'moving target' she once joked during one of their lessons. It was fun; but more than that, Toph felt needed. And it made her feel good.

But those times were over, just as spring was. The fact still remained; Aang does not an earthbending anymore, and therefore; did not need her. In truth, Aang had actually mastered earthbending months ago. She remembered that day so well, more than anything she remembered the pride she felt as a teacher. The day he had finally mastered the wrist and footwork to one of her most difficult and powerful moves.

It was with his shouts of _"I mastered it! I mastered it WOO-HOO!"_, that made her realize, he had mastered not only the move, but earthbending itself. And that meant that they wouldn't be spending as much time together. Her heart clenched at the thought of no more lessons and sparring matches. No more staying out all night after practice, when they were too tired to walk back. In other words, no more fun.

Since his mastery of earthbending, she had been giving him remedial lessons. Simple breathing exercises and stances. Toph knew it was selfish, she had no excuses except; she wanted to spend time with him. And Toph knew she couldn't anymore. And just like spring–

It was time for her to go; and leave Aang behind.

Sadly, all her things were still in Ba Sing Se. Suffice to say, there was no time to pack. It was better this way she decided. To start over with nothing but the clothes on her back and the earth beneath her feet. "Goodbye...Aang."

_KLUNK, BUM -BUM. KLUNK, BUM-BUM. KLUNK, BUM-BUM._

The oddest vibration, Toph had ever felt reached her radar. It was so queer, and clumsy that she didn't know what to make of it. All she knew was, it was coming closer. It didn't feel like an animal. As it approached , she realized, it was walking on..._three legs?_

"Wow! I think that's the first time you called me by my name."

The earthbender's heart rate sped up, as she finally recognized who the mysterious vibrations beloved to. "Aa– Twinkle toes?" she half shouted, half gasped.

_KLUNK, BUM-BUM. KLUNK, BUM-BUM, KLUNK-BUM-BUM_

He came closer. Her surprise quickly gave way to her embarrassment, at realizing he had caught her off guard in a vulnerable moment. Toph quickly put on a scowl, "Why aren't you in bed! Get back to the tent now!" she ordered pointing a finger at the tent.

"Don't worry, I feel fine" he answered back casually, as though Toph hadn't yelled at him at all.

_KLUNK, BUM-BUM._

"And what's with the third leg?" she questioned, still fighting off her embarrassment.

"Third wha– Oh! You mean this. It's a crutch, Sokka made it for me, isn't it cool?" he explained, tapping it on the ground. "Katara said, he's even going to make another glider for me" he added.

Toph didn't answer, but inwardly sighed in relief. Aang was okay; but no thanks to her. Even through his jokes, the blind earthbender could still detect the pain vibrations. They had changed yet again. They weren't the normal light and playful ones that she was accustomed to. And they weren't the frazzled and shattered ones from a few moments ago. They were firm. Like he was walking around carrying weights, making his footsteps heavy and more noticeable. It wasn't very airbender like. It wasn't the steps of the twinkle-toes she knew.

"You're really messed up, huh?" she asked already knowing the answer.

Aang scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, "Yeah" he admitted.

"I knew you were lying." Toph knew he hadn't mastered the Avatar state. She had sensed his false statement atop Appa's head, on the way back to the city. Toph hadn't thought much of it at first, believing he just needed more time, believing they had more time. But if she had known what would happen, she would have beaten the Avatar state into him.

Aang didn't say anything, but wanted to break the awkward tension that existed, turned his attention to the sun that hovered just above the mountains. "It will be summer soon" he commented with the tiniest hint of fear.

"Spring is over" the earthbender acknowledged.

"Boy, I'll be glad when Appa finally stops shedding. And pretty soon I'll be able to start earthbending again, guess we're still going to do the basics some more?"

Toph took a deep breath, and slowly let it go. "No."

"What? Are we going to do some more advanced stuff" he asked.

"No. You're done with earthbending, it's time to move on" she explained, as calmly as she could.

The monks eyes widened, and his brow furrowed, "Wait Toph! You don't mean that– that you're _leaving_!" he exclaimed mortified.

"So what?" Toph responded casually.

"But I still have a lot more to learn" contradicted Aang.

Toph shrugged "Don't sweat it Twinkle-toes, you can learn the rest on your own."

"Toph I need–

"DON'T!" she exclaimed, cutting through his sentence. Hearing him say that would only make leaving harder. Besides he didn't really, he was just being stupid. She approached him, until they were only a few inches apart. "You did alright Twinkle-toes" she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. She squeezed it gently, turned around; and started walking.

Aang hobbled after her and called out, "But why are you leaving?"

Toph turned, "You've learned it all Twinkle-toes, it's like I said before. You've got the stuff."

"But–

"I signed on to teach you earthbending, I've done that. But now I've got places to go, ass' to kick." she spoke with an air of anticipation. "It's a big world out there, who knows maybe I'll see you around. Later Twinkle toes." She turned back around and wave over her shoulder.

"I don't believe you."

Again, Toph paused. And again she turned to face again. The earthbender raised an eyebrow, "Well what did you think was going to happen. We'd go to the fire nation together, defeat the fire lord as a team, and the four of us living happily ever after."

Aang was silent, he kept shifting his weight nervously. It dawned on Toph that was _exactly _what Aang was expecting. And she nearly burst out laughing, and she nearly cried. But she held both back.

"You really are an air-head," she said shaking her head in an amused fashion.

"Toph...I need–

"Stop it!" said Toph irritably, once again cutting him off. "Just toughen up, and get over it."

"Toph please; I need–

"Well you shouldn't!" she yelled. Toph could feel her calm start to slip, her temper and tears were welling up, making her stomach knot up. She quickly turned on heel, and started walking as fast as she could, away from Aang.

She could sense Aang's awkward vibrations as he attempted to follow her. "Wait Toph!" he called after her. Toph ignored him, and picked up her pace. "Please, stay." Toph continued walking. Already his muscles were straining to keep chasing after the earthbender, his breathing was slightly labored, he cried, "WHY ARE YOU LEAVING ME!"

"YOU GOT HURT!"

Toph had spun around and stomped her foot into the ground, causing it to crack. Her hands were balled into fists, and her face was scrunched as she trued to hold back her salty tears.

"BECAUSE YOU GOT HURT...AND YOU ALMOST–

Toph looked at her feet, unable to finish that sentence, fearing she might cry if she did. "AND I CAN'T WATCH YOU DO THAT! SO I'M LEAVING!"

Aang didn't say anything, or even move for that mattered. He just watched her, for the longest time. Realizing he had never seen Toph like this, so shaken; so scared. He slowly, walked over to her and took hold of her hand. If it made Toph uncomfortable, the earthbender didn't show it. "Toph..." he began. Toph sniffled, but still did not cry. "I'm sorry for scaring you. I need–

"I _wasn't _scared" she cut in. She wasn't. She might have been startled, she was upset, but she was not scared. Toph was never scared. "It just hurt to see you hurt." Embarrassed, she tried to wrench her hand away, but he held on. More proof that he had changed.

"Toph, listen" he told her. She continued to struggle. "Please stay," he begged.

"Let me go" she ordered, finally breaking free of his grip, not caring for his injuries. "I'm leaving" she said defiantly.

"Toph I need–

"You don't get it!" she shouted angrily at him. "You got hurt! You got hurt, and you almost died." She drew a shaky breath before continuing, "You're not supposed to get hurt!" Toph screamed. "You can get hurt Aang, you can't."

"Toph," he croaked. "What are you trying to say?" he asked, not believing she was going to say what he thought she was going to say.

"YOU CAN'T GET HURT AANG, YOU'RE NOT _ALLOWED_."

Toph was panting slightly from her rash venting, but Aang was silent. Though Toph sensed a trembling rising up in his body.

The blind earthbender had never sensed this in his person before, and was a little unnerving. "T-Toph" he said, his voice hollow. "_How– how – HOW DARE YOU!" _he screamed.

Whatever Toph was expecting, it certainly wasn't screaming, the sudden rise hard his voice mad e her step back.

"I'M NOT _ALLOWED! I'M NOT ALLOWED!" _he continued to yell, his face a mix of pain and anger. "THAT IS THE MOST SELF ISH THING I'VE EVER HEARD! I WASN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE FUN! I WASN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE FRIENDS OR EVEN PARENTS! YOU DON'T KNOW LONELINESS AT LEAST YOU STILL HAD PARENTS!" His words cut at Toph's heart, she was fighting back the tears harder than ever, but she would not cry. "AND ALL BECAUSE OF A STUPID POWER INSIDE ME! A POWER I NEVER EVEN WANTED! TO BE PRESSURED TO PROTECT SOMETHING YOU AREN'T ALLOWED TO HAVE YOURSELF! AND STILL FAIL!"

"No one is making you do this now, so just quit!" she yelled back, but not as loud as he.

A pained expression crossed his face for a moment, whether it was from his physical or emotional state he didn't know. "You don't understand" Aang half sighed, his voice now softer. "I did once before." Toph didn't understand what he was trying to say, only waited for him to clarify. "And everyone I knew died! After that I decided I wouldn't run away from my friends or my destiny...not again." Aang stopped for a moment to recover his breath, in his state even talking was very draining on his body. "But I need a reason Toph, I need something to give me strength. Toph I need–

"You're not listening!" Toph shouted. "You shouldn't have to do this, just stop! Why do you have to do all the fighting, the suffering?"

"I have to Toph."

"You're so damn stubborn" she groaned. "Things were so much easier when you were a pushover."

"I know."

"Then let's just go, let's just get on Appa and leave. Just forget about the war, about everything."

"I can Toph, I can't run away from my destiny. And eventually, it will lead me to the Fire Nation. Even if I die, I would die for you, Katara and Sokka, and the world and everyone in it can be safe."

As Toph listened, the blind girl thought her eyes would burst, there were so many tears built up. Still Toph Bei Fong did not cry. "Fine" she sniffed, "But I will not watch as you die for the world, and if you do die it only means that you did not care about your life, and you did not care about me. And _that _is why I am leaving." Without another word, Toph turned and started walking again.

_KLUNK, BUM-BUM, KLUNK, BUM-BUM_

"Wait Toph, you're wrong. I do care about you; a lot."

Toph turned to face him again. "Then stay. Stay, and so will I."

"Toph I need–

"If you do, then stay. If you really do, then stay..._with me."_

"Do you want me to just give up. To run from the war, an abandon everything."

"Would you?"

Aang's head jolted slightly, he swallowed a lump in his throat before asking, "What?"

"Would you?" Toph repeated, her heart rate rising. "Would you give it up for me? Would you stop being the Avatar? Would you do it for me?"

After that; th longest pause occurred. Toph held her breath in wait, while her heels dug into the earth, waiting as she anxiously awaited his answer.

"_...yes."_

_KLUNK, BUM-BUM, KLUNK, BUMBUM, KLUNK, BUM-BUM_

"But let me ask you" he continued, "Is that really what you want Toph?" he continued limping toward her until they were face to face. Aang delicately took her face in his hands, and tilted it upward. "Look me in the eye, and tell that is what you want. Tell me, and I will stay."

Even though she was blind, Toph could sense the intensity of his gaze, that was no doubt upon her. Toph tried not to cry, and answer him. But she couldn't. Everything she had wanted to say, or could say seemed to drown in the built up tears. And all she could do was stare back at him, and at least try to say something.

"I'm going to the Fire Nation."

_KLUNK, BUM-BUM_

Toph gasped as he let go of her face and started walking away. Each step away from her, seemed like another step toward uncertainty, and death. "NO!" she cried.

This time it was Aang who stopped and turned. Toph was wringing her hands anxiously, a frightened and pleading look in her eyes. She was sweating profusely, as her chest was rising and falling rapidly. "You _c-can't _g-g-go" she stuttered.

"Why not?" he snapped.

"B-Because, because, because, because. because, because, because..." A tear fell from her deadened eyes.

"I _NEED_ YOU!"

Finally the tears started to erupt from her green eyes. Floods of water dripped off her cheeks, soaking her bare feet. Heavy sobs racked her tiny, body as nothing she did could suppress them. Toph Bei Fong cried. "I NEED YOU" she shouted again, "I NEED YOU TO BE OKAY! I NEED YOU TO BE ALIVE! AND I NEED YOU TO BE THERE FOR ME!"

Toph continued, to sob uncontrollable, wiping the tears was futile, as more just poured when she did. She was to busy, crying that she did not notice Aang approached her. Nor did she notice his arms, when they wrapped themselves around her shaking boy. Not until he pulled her into his chest and started stroking her hair, that she realized he was holding her.

"I need you to" he whispered.

Toph just cried harder.

**Finished at 7:35 A.M. Sept 21, 2007**

**Just something I've had in my head for awhile. And you authors can back me up, whether it's good or bad, you gotta write it. I wrote most of this before all the big spoilers came out. I didn't know season 3 would start on a fire nation ship. Also I wanted to try my hand at something serious for a change. Criticism is welcome, but so is praise. SEASON THREE STARTS TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


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